Goodbye
by RunChildRunAnd-don't-look-back
Summary: Post season 4. They are all in college. A look at life for them. A Klaroline fic. "Her fingers stopped abruptly as the speakers words reached her ears. Instinctly the corner of her mouth lifted and her eyes narrowed at the sound of his voice, "quite a turn out." Her head lifts slowly to see Klaus Mikaelson standing at the podium, a smirk on his face and his eyes on her."
1. The return

**A/N: This is intended to be a multichap so be sure to suscribe to know when I concept just came to me. The song this is based on is 'how to be a heartbreaker' by Marina and the Diamonds. Enjoy and please Review.**

In their few of months of college Elena and Caroline were too depressed without Bonnie to party. But she had chosen to stay with her mother and focus on her witch-y part of life. To make matters worse, she couldn't phone them, they had to settle with writing letters.

Caroline sat at the desk inside their shared, cramped dorm room. Elena was finishing up her work and Damon was lounging on Caroline's bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"You know this ceiling is more cracked up than Lindsay Lohan." He put his arms beneath his head. "Why didn't you get a better room? Seriously I can't walk two steps in this room without getting a mouth full of wall"

"Two steps? Isn't that exaggerating a little?" Elena looked up from her books to Damon who shrugged.

"Two Vamp-y steps. So two normal steps to you or I or barbie over there. Who seems to be more in love with the paper than Klaus is with her." At that Caroline chucked the nearest thing, which was a pair of scissors, at him and he caught them. They spliced right through his hand.

"Touchy much?" He grunted as he pulled them out. Elena glared a Damon.

"Shut up Damon." Caroline put her pen down. "And if you must know, I'm writing to Bonnie. And we didn't compel for a better room because having this room will make for good memories."

"Oh, did you tell her about creepy Mrs Vartabetean?" Elena sat up and crossed her legs.

"Creepy Mrs who?" Damon massaged his healed hand.

"I did. And she's our floor manager. She basically takes care of the students on our floor and she looks like Justin Bieber, but brown."

"I think I spit up inside my own mouth a little."

Caroline rolled her eyes and tucked the letter in to a pre stamped envelope. Getting up she took her laptop bag and books then headed for the door.

"Okay, I-will-see-you-later at the Frat party." She put pointed at Damon as she walked out. "I'm counting on you to make sure she goes."

"Yes Sheriff Forbes." He saluted. Out into the hallway she made her way down five flights of stairs. If she hadn't been a vampire she would be dead by now from exhaustion of carrying all her things. She was in the West wing Lecture centre with Matt, who joined her on the last flight of stairs, he was on the 2nd floor. But not for long, he and Tyler were joining a Fraternity, as were she and Elena. The Delta's. They had the largest house on campus and were extremely élite. Caroline had been accepted, but she had to Compel them to take Elena. But she didn't know that, of course.

"Hey." Matt greeted.

"Hey." She replied. "How's Tyler?"

"Still holed up in his room working. Professor said if he didn't pass the test he'd be kicked off the course."

"I'm impressed he hasn't resorted to compulsion yet."

"I have a theory that he'll give it until this evening. But if there's a chance he misses the Frat party then he's going to use it."

"Well normally I'd be against that," they walked across that lawn with students to the the Lecture hall. "But the sooner he does it the sooner I'm allowed to see him again. Seriously! I can't be that much of a distraction!" She shook her head.

"You've clearly never looked in the mirror Care." Matt laughed. She smiled and shoved him a little. "Well I haven't got a chance since Damon moved in." She huffed. "Seriously, the amount of time he spends in our dorm, he may as well put on a wig and be the third addition."

They both spent the rest of the short walk laughing at the image of Damon in a wig. The lecture hall was a little more full than usual, normally a few of the students bunked. But it was so full that Caroline found a seat opposite Matt's on the row below rather than beside him.

"We've got that guest speaker." Matt explained.

"Right, that prestigious graduate." She added as she took out her laptop and put it on her lap. It was relatively cold against her bare thighs that showed in her dress, but she couldn't feel the temperature. Matt, and many of the others did the same as Professor Rutherford stood on the podium below that the bleacher-like seats arched around.

"Well I'm glad to see such a great turn out." He was a stout man with looks akin to Churchill but darker and with a beard. "Today are speaker is an Oxford graduate and I invite you all to-"

Caroline's attention was drawn away by a little conversation pop up on the bottom right of her home screen. It was Tyler. She smiled as she typed her reply quietly.

**Tyler: hey babe.**

**Caroline: shouldn't you be working?**

His reply's were instant which gave the impression that his attention had drifted from his work.

**Tyler: If I work anymore I think I'm physically gonna hurl. I can't take it. I'm just gonna compel the guy.**

**Caroline: No! You can't!**

"And so I'd like you all to welcome..." Professor Rutherford continued droning on and Caroline ignored him effortlessly.

**Tyler: Why not? It's not like it matters.**

**Caroline: Tyler, you've got to try. If you don't pass this then you'll be kicked off and we won't have our College experience together. If you compel him, it won't be the same. Trust me.**

The sound of her typing was covered by the sounds of everyone clapping the speaker's enterance. He didn't answer. Caroline's forehead creased as she stared at the screen.

"Care?" Matt called, she didn't hear him.

Caroline: Ty?

**Tyler: Well I'm not going to get any work done if you keep distracting me.**

**Caroline: C:**

She smiled, he listened to her. She began logging out of her account so he couldn't message her again and distract himself.

"Well now,"

Her fingers stopped abruptly as the speakers words reached her ears. Instinctly the corner of her mouth lifted and her eyes narrowed at the sound of his voice, "quite a turn out."

Her head lifts slowly to see Klaus Mikaelson standing at the podium, a smirk on his face and his eyes on her.


	2. The parting of new friends

Chapter 2

She bit back her grin. He let his cover his entire face as he began the lecture. A small part of her was happy to see him, but the rest of her was bludgeoning that part to death. Although the last time they saw each other they had parted on good terms. He saved Damon, not to mention her friends and he let Tyler come back to town. But he also told her he loved her, and he intended to be her last love. Carolines heart fluttered as she remembered the feeling of his soft lips pressed against her cheek. It was only for a split second but it impacted her more than he knew. She frowned. She was with Tyler. And she loved him more than words could describe. This thing with Klaus, whatever it was, was fleeting.

Her face was the most prominent to him out the crowd of a hundered students. And the emotions running through her were obvious. A part of her was happy to see him, and it was enough to send him soaring. He didn't even know she was going to be in the lecture. When he walked to the podium he didn't suspect anything. Until he heard the distinctive voice of Matt Donovan, the human quatreback whisper: "what the hell?" Klaus glanced at him and then back to the podium he was walking to. But his eyes flickered back again immediately and this time to the blonde he recognised below him. Caroline Forbes. He smiled and watched her face as he walked. She hadn't noticed him, but it would be interesting to see her reaction when she did. And sure enough, a million emotions ran across her beautiful face when she spotted him staring at her.

She tore her eyes away from him and stuck them on her laptop screen. She typed her lecture notes up with such conviction that she almost forgot that he was the one talking, if it hadn't been for his smooth, familiar accent, she would have. But until the end of the lecture she was torn between wanting to see if he was still looking at her and not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was thinking about him. She risked it once and he was looking at the otherside of the lecture hall as he spoke but as soon as she looked his eyes whipped back round to hers and he smirked once more. After that she didn't risk it. She spent the rest of the lecture ignoring him as best as posssible.

"Care," Matt whispered when the lecture was over and everyone was piling out of the hall. She picked up her bag from under her chair and rested it on the seat.

"What is he doing here?" He asked as he watched her open the bag and shove her laptop in.

"I have no idea. Did Rebekah say anything?" She asked back in hushed tone. Although it was evident that every word could still be heard.

"Yes, how is my darling baby sister these days?" Klaus was walking up the aisle towards them. "From what I heard you both spent quite the Summer travelling."

"She's fine." Matt's jaw clenched. He had never liked Klaus and was not about to start.

"Well atleast one of us got to travel with a wanted companion." He put his arms behind his back and smirked as Caroline shot him a glare. His comment was so clearly aimed at her. "And on that note," he continued, a genuine smile crept onto his face as he watched a frustrated Caroline swing her laptop bag over her shoulder and turn to look at him, "how lovely it is to see you Caroline."

"Klaus." She inclined her head in greeting. They both looked at each other and grinned, unknowingly both at the memory of their last meeting at graduation.

"Care," Matt's voice brought her back to reality, he had noticed their stare and didn't like it one bit, "come on. We've got to go."

Klaus blocked her way out of the row, "excuse me," she said, feeling rather like a child. He stepped to the side and watched her move past him. She and Matt started walking up the stares.

"So what brings you here?" She asked, expecting him to be walking her up the stares. But to her surprise he was half across the lecture hall going out of the other exit. He stopped abruptly at the sound of her voice. "Where are you going?" She asked, puzzled.

"I was...I was leaving." He was still in shock once more. He believed she was going to ignore his existance. It hadn't occured to him that she expected him to be behind her.

"You weren't going to walk me out atleast?" She arched an eyebrow. An embarassed smile played on his lips as he vamp speeded up the steps.

"Why do you even care?" Matt whispered.

"Because he's..." She paused. Honestly it felt right that he would walk her out. "He let Tyler come back." She said decisively.

"Whatever. I'll see you later Care," he whispered back and ran up the steps and out the exit just as Klaus reached her.

"Now what do you suppose is his problem?" He asked, walking beside her.

"It may be something to do with you being the all powerful, all evil Original Hyrbrid." She shrugged. "Or maybe he just doesn't like your face?" She joked. Dimples welled themselves into his cheeks.

"My face? Well, it has been known to cause many problems."

She laughed. "I bet."

"I was actually once kicked out of Saudi Arabia."

She showed no shock. "For some reason, that sounds entirely believable." The warmth of the sun greeted them as they walked out onto campus.

"So what are you doing here?"

He inhaled sharply. "Well, I'm here on business. For something that needs to be taken care of in New Orleans."

"And I guess the taking the lecture was just for fun?"

"Well, the dean is an old friend. When he spotted me a few weeks ago he asked if I could be a 'guest' speaker. I honestly had no idea you'd be in there, love."

She supressed a shiver that threatened to run through her when he called her 'love'. When he first called her that, it had been so foreign to her. But eventually she began to love it. Especially when he called her 'sweetheart'. Telling him that would give him great satisfaction, something she wouldn't allow to happen-

"Hang on, you were here a few weeks ago?"

"Yes. To find out some information from that chap Professor Shane's office. Turns out he was more knowledgeable than he let on."

Fear seized her, "it isn't something to do with Silas, is it?"

"No." He replied quickly, cursing himself for scaring her, if even for a moment. "Rest assured sweetheart that Silas has no part in this. My current predicament is, entirely my own fault." They reached the enterence to the hall of her dorm. She turned to face him.

"Why _are_ you in New Orleans?" She asked.

He sighed, gazing at her with intense eyes. The look that conveyed so much. The very look she was so accustomed to said so much to her. Everytime he looked at her like that, she could feel how much he loved her. Her legs felt like jelly under those big bad eyes of his.

"You've put me in a very difficult situation sweetheart." His eyes darkened fifty degrees, "either I tell you the truth and lose you. Or I don't tell you and lose you. I don't think I can stand either of those options, love."

"You could lie to me."

He smiled sadly, "see that's just it sweetheart, I don't think I could. So forgive me for not telling you. Not yet, atleast. But one day I will. Today's just not that day." There was a thump in her chest as her heart lifted.

"You know Klaus," the familiar warmth spread through his chest as it did whenever she said his name, "sometimes you can be really sweet." The noise around them quitened as they focused on each other. The tension between them reached boiling point. "That is, when you're not being mass-murdery." She left him standing with a smirk on his face and walked back to her dorm room. He watched her go, and both remained unaware of the pain in each other's heart's at their parting.

**REVIEW. I'LL AIM TO UPLOAD THE NEXT CHAPTER WITHIN A WEEK.**


	3. The Keg stand

Chapter 3

"How was the guest speaker?" Elena asked on arrival. She wasn't genuinely interested. Caroline had walked in her and Damon locked in an embrace. Which seemed fairly impossible considering how they were both vampires with superhuman hearing. It only went to show how absorbed they were in each other. In a way, it was sweet. She and Tyler had certainly never been like that. Now Elena was making conversation to stem the awkwardness.

"What's up with you blondie?" Damon fixed his shirt.

"What?" Caroline asked, not really listening, as she crossed to her bed and chucked down her bed.

"Well you just walked in on me and Elena...get down...and not a word? Clearly you're not on point barbie, because the one I know would be all up in our grill with some lecture."

She repressed a laugh and smiled. It was hilarious how Damon knew her better than Elena, who had known her for years over.

"Well maybe you don't know me." She answered defiantly. But then sighed, even if she didn't tell them, Matt would. Yet some part of her wanted to keep Klaus' arrival secret. When she kept him to herself, he wasn't such a monster. Telling Damon and Elena about him would only gain judgement on their part. Nevertheless, it had to be done. Besides, she was with Tyler. Whatever, messed up feelings she had towards Klaus. They were just that. Messed up. And they didn't belong in her world.

"Caroline?" Elena asked apprehensively. She shook herself from her thoughts. "I- I'm- I was just..." She noted their expectant looks. "I'm gonna go to help set up the party." She got her dress from her bag and grabbed her handbag, shoving her makeup bag in it. Running out of the dorm as fast as humanly possible and across the campus to the Delta's fraternity house. It was a large building, much like a smaller version of the white house. The inside resembled a hotel of sorts. With classy decor. In the main living room bar men were running around the place as well as hired help.

"Ca-ro-line!" A brunette girl with a clipboard held out her arms to her and waddled over in her heels and short dress, a clipboard in one arm.

"Lindsay," Caroline hugged her and did the whole kissing on each cheek. "I had nothing to do so I thought I'd come help set up."

"Oh my gosh! That is the sweetest thing ever!" Lindsay really was a girly girl, and the most annoying type. "Why don't you go upstairs and get dressed, then come down and help me."

She nodded and ran up the large stairs. Upstairs the doors to every room were thrown open as girls roamed around getting ready, some with curlers in their hair, others in under garments only and some in towels. Each girl that saw her, greeted her with enthusiasm. She hadn't compelled them to like her, she had to remember that whenever they were nice to her and she couldn't figure out why.

"Care bear!" A dark skinned girl called her into her room. "Come get ready here."

"Thanks Dianne."

For the rest of the afternoon she took her time getting ready. Not wanting to go downstairs and help. She just wanted to relax. But as soon as she went down with the other girls she compelled the helpers to put the bar in the corner so it didn't take up too much space, and the girls agreed with the decision, much to Lindsay's dismay. Her phone started buzzing violently as she stood in a group of girls who were talking. She reached into her bra and pulled it out. It was Tyler. She answered it immediately and regretted after when she realised Klaus would more than likely be the subject of conversation.

"What the hell Care?" His voice spluttered.

"Hello to you too Ty." She made sure her voice sounded offended.

"Don't give me that Caroline! Matt told me all about Klaus and how cosy you both were-"

"I didn't say they were cosy I just said-" Matt's voice could be heard objecting in the background.

"I was nice to him!" Caroline yelled, she stepped out of the building for some privacy.

"Nice? You were nice? Care, this guy is pure evil. He killed my mother. He killed 12 of my Hybrid friends. And you want to be _nice_ to him?" He was trying so hard to suppress screaming at her, it was evident as his voice came out breathy.

"Tyler!" She shouted, then paused. He was right. What was she doing? But despite all that, it hurt to be mean to him. "He let you come back, didn't he? He brought you back to me. And I can never thank him enough for that." She lied, she made sure her words came out as dramatic as possible. Just as she expected, Tyler paused.

"Okay."

"Okay." She mimicked. "Are we good?" "Yeah." He sniffed, "just- just promise me you don't have feelings for Klaus."

It was like an invisible wall had smack her straight in the mouth. He throat began to close up at the mention of her having any emotions towards him. Maybe she did. Maybe she didn't. But Tyler was asking her to open up a can of worms and not react.

"Oh my god Care!" Tyler yelled. She had been silent for too long. "What the hell? He's a monster! How can you not see that?! Don't you remember what he did to my mom? And even if you don't care about that what about Elena's aunt Jenn-"

"DON'T YOU DARE! How dare you say I don't care about your mom? You put me on the spot Tyler! And you expect me to answer you straight away within being shocked at your accusation? God Tyler! What the hell?!." She spat and before he could reply she shut the phone.

The feeling of guilt that she expected didn't come. She just lied to Tyler. But she began feeling guilty about not feeling guilty, only to realise she was feeling and eventually it was all too much guilt for her to handle and she did the only thing she could think of. Drink.

"Look," Damon had his arm around Elena's waist as they trudged over the grass to the Fraternity. "All I'm saying is that there's an entirely empty dorm room back there." He whispered seductively, "why don't we just..." His eyebrow arched suggestively.

She giggled, "we can't to that to Caroline! And besides," she stepped over the threshold and Damon stayed outside patiently until she compelled someone to invite him in and they resumed their conversation, "wasn't it you who promised to bring me here."

"Yes," his head tilted as they manoeuvred through the crowds of drunk students through raving to the music, "but I never specified how lo-"

He stopped mid sentence as he and Elena stood staring at Caroline who was on the bar surrounded by other people. She was upside down with her legs supported in the air by some guy, a keg beneath her and a tube in her mouth.

"Chug! Chug! Chug!" Roared the crowd as she chugged down the beer.

"Go blondie." Damon said in disbelief. "I never knew she had it in her- well, actually, I kinda did. Never thought shed act on it though."

The crowd whooped as they set her down. "Who's next!" She yelled. Someone else stepped up. Caroline spotted Damon and Elena in the crowd. "You came!" She squeezed over to them.

"Yeah, Care," Elena's voice was apprehensive. "What's with the...you know?"

"Oh that, it's called a Keg stand-"

"I know what it is Care, but why were you doing it. Wasn't it you who said they were stupid?"

"Yeah but that was before I knew how much fun they were." Before they could investigate any further she whooped. "Oh my god! I love this song!" She ran to the sound system and blared the music then started dancing. It was not wholly unlike a many moths ago when Elena threw a party around the Salvatore's. Caroline danced to the song by Marina and the Diamonds without a care in the world. Some guy came up to her and began dancing with her extremely closely. She was going to back tell him to back off. _Oh who cares Caroline? Live a little_ she told herself, besides he's kind of cute. But the dancing lasted only a few moments until someone yanked him away from her and Damon appeared instead.

"What's up with you?" He said while dancing in front of her.

"Where's Elena?" She asked back.

"Being harassed by some frat sisters, your turn."

"Nothing's up with me Damon." She answered, ready to walk away.

"Don't pull that bull with me," he narrowed his eyes, "I've know you longer than I've known Elena." It was true, when Damon first got to Mystic Falls he had seen Elena, but didn't know her. Caroline became the first person he truly knew, granted he first knew her by compelling her to sleep with him and be his personal bloodbag, but a part of them had been friends and they had talked. But since he had fallen for Elena they didn't really consider themselves friends, not that they ever had.

"Why do you even care?" She asked back.

"Who said anything about caring? Maybe I'm just incredibly nosy, hey, maybe I'm taking a leaf out of your book," he smiled smugly. She rolled her eyes. He was being sarcastic, he cared and she knew it, but this was Damon. He would never admit it.

She sighed. "Tyler and I... Argued."

"About what?" He asked. Matt hadn't told Elena yet. And she certainly didn't want to tell him. Instead she rolled her eyes and made her way to the bar. When Elena finally came back, Caroline was now doing shots at the bar with a bunch of people. Heavily in competition. She downed five shots of tequila quickly then shuddered.

"Alright!" She whooped, then she swept her hair away from her neck and poured some salt on it. "Do the shot," she pushed the glass of tequila towards another eager hot guy, "lick the salt," she indicated to her neck, "and eat the lime!" She pointed to the bowl of limes. He picked the glass and sucked down the tequila quickly. Then looked hungrily at her neck as he dived for it. A hand smacked into his forehead and stopped him.

"Damon!" Caroline yelled as she turned around.

Only it wasn't Damon.

"Touch her and you die." Said Klaus to the boy.


	4. Only the beginning

Final chapter is now ready. I couldn't resist a really mild reference to my other fanfic 'Enough for now' It's a mild reference but if you want to get the reference to 'the gallery' then read the story by all means, but it's no necessary to read it. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, Favorited or followed. especially ellerose77, Sissymac who have continually made me smile. So big thank you to you too.

Enjoy

Chapter 4

"Touch her and you die." Klaus' voice was menacing as was his face.

"Listen br-" but the guy's protests were cut short as Klaus looked him squarely in the eyes.

"Why don't you go? Bro." He compelled, adding the last part sarcastically. He nodded slowly and walked away through the crowd. Only a few people noticed but none guessed that he had been compelled. His absence left Klaus and Caroline standing opposite each other. She rounded on him. "Aren't you supposed to go back to your super secret life in New Orleans?"

"That was the plan love, only I realised I never actually said goodbye earlier."

Caroline folded her arms. Their was a burning sensation in her chest, likely to have been caused by the alcohol, but it felt like a fury.

"It was implied. You didn't need to." Her words were harsh once more.

"Well, you know what they say sweetheart, manners and all."

She scoffed. "Well goodbye then." He winced internally at her harshness, their relationship had taken a million steps back. A twinge of guilt lodged in her stomach at the way she was behaving towards him, but she ignored it.

His expression turned into one of concern. "What's wrong, Caroline?"

She looked past him, over his shoulder, to distract herself from the warm sensation in her chest when she heard her name roll off his tongue. To her great dismay, Damon and Elena had now spotted Klaus and were making their way over, pushing through the crowd. Damon raised an eyebrow and pointed at Klaus in a questioning way. She put up her finger in way to tell him to wait, but he didn't. Klaus had noticed the exchange and turned around.

"Ah, I was wondering when they would pop up. No Stefan, I see." She cocked her head to the side and frowned at him, ready to reply. But an overwhelming urge to run away from Damon and Elena's scorn seized her, and at the next time they looked away she seized the oppotunity to take Klaus' hand and duck through the crowd. He followed her but with great surprise. When he opened his mouth to say something she put her finger to her lips to hush him. Both of them stayed silent until they exited the house and entered into the darkness of the night.

"What was all that about then, love?" He asked, once she let go and they had both made it far away from the house so's not to be overheard by any vampiric hearing.

"I just-" she sighed and faltered. They began pacing slowly down the long, grassy hilltop behind the house. The cool breeze brushed over her skin, watching the trees around them. Neither had spoken. He didn't need to ask her to finish the sentence, nor did he need to finish it for her. He understood exactly what she meant without having to say it.

Caroline was tired, she was emotionally exhausted. Why exactly, she didn't know. Today had been like any other day, aside from the fact that she and Tyler had gotten into an arguement over the Original Hybrid who had turned up. Okay, so maybe it was understandable as to why she was exhausted, but being in her head was becoming tiring.

"How's New Orleans?" She asked.

Klaus glanced at her and grinned. He sat down on the grass, watching the treetops sway in the breeze, she sat beside him almost automatically.

"New Orleans is wonderful. The nightlife, the color, the music. It's my second favourite place, love."

She nodded, imagining everything he had seen and done. The entire different culture he had witnessed. "Can I tell you something?" She looked at him, he angled himself opposite her so he could see her face: after all, this trip would be such a waste if he wasn't able to see the one thing he wanted to. A little part of Caroline was disappointed, he had moved further from her and she liked the close proximity. For some messed up reason, it made her feel safe. All the angst she felt aginst him earlier had disappeared.

"Of course sweetheart." He stared into her eyes and she blushed, normally he would have continued, knowing that he could make her blush gave him a great deal of satisfaction. But on this occasion he looked at the surroundings, enabling her to confide in him without embarrassment.

"I actually considered going to New Orleans," she bit her lip, not sure whether she should have told him. He smiled to the side.

"Did you now sweetheart?"

She nodded slowly, not concerntrating on his reaction. "It was after graduation, Tyler hadn't come back yet, Bonnie was gone, Stefan was acting weird, Matt was with Rebecca and Damon and Elena were all shacked up-"

"No change there then, love."

She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, don't remind me." There was a few seconds of silence as they both thought.

"Why didn't you call me?" He asked, quietly.

"What?" His words brought her back to reality.

"You should have at least called me if you felt alone." It was killing him to think about how she must have felt. Nobody was there for her, or to hear her melodic laughter, see her face light up as she smiled or just to listen to her sweet voice. He would have given the world to see these little things of her's while he was away from her, yet those who always saw them took them for granted. It infuriated him as to how she allowed them to do that, and the worst part was that she had no idea how he felt. Not even an inkling as to the enormity of his feelings towards her. She was staring at him with a curious expression on her face, but soon masked it when he looked up at her. He had seen it, his heart tugged in his chest when he realised that she had never looked at him like that before.

"I was about to. You know that message you left me?"

"The one you never replied to? Of course I remember it love. I left it." Caroline hit his leg lightly at his attempt guilt trip. He relished at how comfortable she had become around him.

"I listened to it whenever I was alone, and it reminded me that," she paused and looked away from him, "that you were out there. And that I had one friend who thought about me." Caroline purposely called him friend, though in truth she had no idea what to call him. She smiled and gave a short laugh, wiping the beginning of a tear from her eye with her thumb, "So when I finally had enough of being alone, and I had listened to that message for, like, the hundredth time, I went online and I looked up tickets for New Orleans. I even went as far as to book one."

"What stopped you from coming to me?" Klaus asked. The pain in his chest was unbearable. She had been so close to being his. To think that he had thought she hadn't spared him a single emotion, when all that time he had been in her thoughts more than he had known. In his entire life, he never felt such elation and sadness.

"I was all packed, I opened the door, ready to go, and then there was Tyler. Standing there." She laughed at the memory of him standing sheepishly on her doorstep. She had felt so happy it was indescribable. "There was blood on his face and he had a few broken bones. But he had been making his way back to me, slowly, he said something about accidentally making a lot of enemies." She laughed, recalling the sheepish look on his face when he had explained.

Caroline really did love Tyler. She loved how human he was, how boyish he could be. But she didn't realise that she was starting to love Klaus. They both sat in silence. Just listening to the sounds around them; The sound from the party was in the background of their vampiric hearing, there was a slow song playing. He had never hated Tyler more than he had in that moment. He had taken the one person he ever truly loved away. But Tyler couldn't take away this moment. This moment was theirs alone, and he intended to take advantage of it.

"Care to dance, sweetheart?" Klaus stood up and held out a hand to her, a boyish grin, surpassing Tyler's, on his face. She smiled and took it, laughing as he gave another hand to help her up. He put an arm around her waist and another on her hand. She put hers on his shoulder. He could hear the rapid beating of her un dead heart, like music to his ears. If he closed his eyes, he could easily have been back at the gallery.

"Is this our thing?" Caroline murmured, jokingly. She closed her eyes. Without a thinking, he rested his forehead against hers. Realising how intimately close they were, he expected her to draw back and stop. But she merely frowned, eyes still closed, and continued dancing.

"No," he whispered. "This is goodbye."

Her breathing hitched audibly and he took a moment to relish in the fact that his parting was impacting her. Her eyes fluttered open to find his green ones. Klaus' heart jerked.

"Do me one favour?" She whispered back.

"Anything love." Their feet stopped moving, he dropped her hand but continued to hold her waist.

"Say goodbye, like you mean it." Her words almost pleaded, yet there was that reluctant tone. She didn't want him to say goodbye at all. But Caroline needed him to. "You're my friend. You always will be, provided you don't murder anyone I love, know, care about, or anyone undeserving. But I don't think I can handle seeing you at random, unexpected times. So say goodbye like you mean it, please? Say it like this is the last time you'll say it?"

_Classic Caroline_. She wouldn't give into her desire, she was much too classy for that. Or her own words, she was _too smart to be seduced_by him. Of course she would pretend not to want to see him again. A smirk crept up on his lips.

"I promise this will be the last time I say goodbye, and I promise to say it like I mean it Caroline." She didn't reply, she continued to stare up into his eyes, disappointed that he had agreed without any protest. The logical part of her mind kept telling her it was all for the best.

"Because," Klaus continued, "the next time I see you I won't say goodbye." He whispered.

"Klaus..." She disapproved, though the rest of her was delighted and confused all at the same time.

"The last time I saw you I told you I intended to be your last love. I mean it." He lifted his forehead off hers, and moved his cheek to hers, taking her hand once more and they continued dancing. "Caroline, I promise that I won't ever say goodbye to you again," he whispered. "I won't need to. You'll be mine eventually. Until then, live, laugh and love. Heck, be a heart breaker." He chuckled.

"Easier said than done, when there's an Original Hybrid threatening every guy who comes close to me." She narrowed her eyes and smiled, lightening the mood.

"Alright, I admit it. But I didn't kill him sweetheart." He reasoned.

"I guess you're improving." She teased.

"I should have." His eyes darkened. "You have no idea how much restraint it took to stop myself when I what he was about to do. I can barely stand it when Tyler touches you, let alone some random boy, love."

"Possessive much?" She whispered back shakily, attempting a single laugh, the feeling of his cheek against hers was overwhelming as were his words.

"In normal instances, yes. But currently, no. You see, I'm already yours, love." At the last part he pulled back to look into her beautiful blue eyes. "I'm just waiting for." He smirked with no trace of happiness. There was a hint of water in his eyes under the moonlight. This was it. Their final goodbye. And after this he had no idea how long it would be until he saw her again. Finally letting go of her, Klaus stepped back. "Goodbye, sweet Caroline." The words rolled off his tongue. Without removing his eyes from her saddened face, he spoke, "don't be too harsh on her mate. It's all on me." Before she could ask what he was talking about, Klaus turned around, Tyler Lockwood was standing behind him. The two men didn't say anything. They just grimaced at each other, until finally Klaus started. "Treat her right Tyler. She's better than you deserve." And with that, Niklaus Mikaelson disappeared into the night, without a glance at Caroline. He wanted to remember her saddened at his parting. Not frowning at his words to the boy hybrid.

"Ty..." She began.

"Klaus came to see me about an hour ago. Apparently he overheard our conversation on the phone. He basically told me to stop being stupid."

"Oh god," she breathed, "I didn't tell him to do that I swear its not my fault. Ty we're friends, and not even good friends-"

"Care," he silenced her, "I- I get it. As much as I hate to say it, he kinda made me realise how wonderful you are."

"So what are you saying?"

"I guess I'm saying... Actually, I'm asking, for your forgiveness. I was a jackass, especially for accusing you of not caring about...well, you know."

She nodded slowly and contemplated it. Rather than thinking about his apology, she was thinking about Klaus. He had always hated Tyler. Yet it was him got him to see sense. What had he said to him?

Though for now, she didn't really care. Tyler was here, he was sorry. And he loved her more than anything else in the world. And she loved him. It would take her a while to come to terms with the possibility that she was falling in love with two people. But for now, she would just be Caroline Forbes. She would live laugh, love. She'd even be a heartbreaker.

She rushed to Tyler and hugged him, enjoying the familiar warmth from his embrace and his comforting smell. Tyler was her first love. And nothing could ever compare to the feeling of first love. Except that of true love.

"Come on," her voice came out broken at the thought but she put on a brave face, "we have a party to get to."

When she had Tyler, everything felt right. She felt human, and her life seemed exactly the way she wanted it. But Klaus... He made her feel loved. Like she was the only person who mattered. The world seemed to stop, and his eyes, they said so much. She felt things around him she never felt before. There was always this knot in her stomach and her heart always beat a little faster. There was no denying her feelings for him.

"You go on ahead." She stopped walking before they reached the porch steps.

"You sure?" Tyler asked as they walked up to the door. She nodded. He walked on ahead as she pretended to fiddle with the strap on her heels.

"Yes, Matt needs someone to party hard with, as soon as possible." She said. When he left she stood up, already knowing Klaus was behind her. She knew him, and she knew he must have been listening. And he the reason for her pretense was to see him. When she looked at him, she put her finger up to his lip to stop him talking. Biting her lip, she spent a second thinking about her decision, but went ahead anyway. Niklaus could only open his eyes wide in shock as Caroline planted a quick kiss on his cheek. The soft feeling of her lips against his was unlike any gentleness he had experienced.

"Thank you." She whispered.

And she turned around and left, walking into the house, turning on the steps one last time she smiled at his bemused frame, then jogged up to the open house door, shoving the boy from earlier who got a little handsy against the wall and shutting the door behind her.

"That's my girl." Klaus smirked. He walked to the car park, ready to return to his second favorite place. Not knowing when he would return to his first favourite. He had no idea when he would return to Caroline.

Hope you enjoyed it! It was so difficult to write the ending so I re-watched most of the TVD series and I understood Klaus' feelings for Caroline, but inadvertently began to see what she saw in Tyler and how deep the affection was. I didn't want to be one of those writers who just cast aside Caroline's feelings for Tyler, because I don't think that would be easy for her to do. Please review, especially if you followed or Favorited. Put together that makes like 80 reviews, so hopefully there should be at-least twenty new reviews. Yes, I am a review monger. So Please do! Including you, I know you read that so please don't ignore. I definitely want to know what you thought because I wrote the story for you, not anyone else, but specifically you! :) I've put up a sort of sequel called 'Losing her'. It will have mentions of this story.


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